Word Problems
by Katie 452
Summary: Snapshots of Casey and Derek's lives/relationships mostly in College. Casey/Derek - or Dasey. Please read/review!
1. Market, Freedom, Pain, Waves, Potatoes

**Title:** Word Problem

**Author: **Katie**  
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**Story Summary:** Snapshots of Casey and Derek's lives/relationships mostly in College (Casey/Derek or Dasey)

**Ratings:** PG 13

**Spoilers:** Full series

**Pairing:** Casey and Derek (Dasey)

**Authors Note:** So the challenge was to write as much or as little as each word inspired me to. Then I was given the list of words. I have been having major writers block lately so this seemed like a great idea.

There are 50 words total and I will be posting 5 per chapter. Words are in no particular order and all words exist in the same universe (i.e. each mini fic tells a part of one big story).

This is a new style for me, so please be kind.

I have not seen every episode so if something isn't accurate please let me know.

Unbeta'ed so all mistakes are mine.

**Distribution: **Please! Just let me know.

**Feedback: **I worked quite hard on this, so _please review_!

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, disclaimer applies to all chapters.

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**Chapter One: Market, Freedom, Pain, Waves, Potatoes**

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**Market**

They've been at college for about a month and a half and they've (mostly) resigned themselves that, at least for the foreseeable future, they're going to be sharing a cramped two bedroom apartment. For the most part, it's actually working out a lot better than either one of them anticipated.

One constant issue, however, is the grocery shopping. When they'd first moved in Casey had made of chart of who would do what basic chores when. The entire chart was immediately dismissed by Derek, but by some twist they actually used her grocery plan where they alternated shopping weekly. Except, when Casey did the shopping she always came back with bags of vegan organic foods and when Derek went he always came back with bags of potato chips and gummy worms.

Which is why Casey is currently pushing a shopping cart down the produce isle accepting that her chore chart was a found memory.

Derek pulls a grape off of the display and she sighs when it bounces off the side of her head before turning around and "Der-ek!"

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**Freedom**

College was supposed to be all about freedom; parties and hot chicks and hockey and…whatever! So when his dad and Nora tell him and Casey that they'll have to live together he's a little devastated. Casey is like anti-freedom.

Five months later when he and Casey kiss and fall (eventually) in to some kind of relationship and his freedom is taken away in a whole new way…it's actually not bad at all.

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**Pain**

Casey crashes into him as they kiss, and when his hand fists in her hair, she molds herself to him expertly. When she pulls away, she clears her throat softly and with tears still thick in her voice she says that they can't do this anymore…that she won't do this anymore. Derek's pretty sure he's never felt pain like this.

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**Waves**

'Family vacation' might be the worst thing Derek's ever heard. He and Casey are just finishing their first year at college and he really hadn't even decided if he was going to go home for summer break when his dad calls. George says, in no uncertain terms, that he and Casey had better be there. He gives a date and time and directions and leaves no room for argument (threatening to take back the Prince). Neither Derek nor Casey is pleased about these new summer plans.

But, they've been at the beach a few days now, and it's not been horrible.

Now, he's sitting on the beach with Marty, helping her build a sand castle. He looks down the beach a little and sees Casey sitting on the sand, holding their new little sister in front of her. The water rushes up to them and the little girl screams in delight as the water tickles her toes. She then looks up at Casey with delight and awe and Derek realizes that he's kind of looking at Casey the same way right now, and something pulls painfully in his chest.

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**Potatoes**

It's Casey's birthday and her friends are planning on throwing her a party over the weekend, but Derek knows how much she enjoys birthdays and wants her to have something that day. So, with the best of intentions, he tries to make dinner for her. No one ever told him that you couldn't just throw potatoes in the oven…apparently you have to poke holes in them first or they explode.

Which is why, when Casey gets back to the apartment he's trying to clean four exploded potatoes out of the oven. She laughs at him as she helps and the apartment smells like potatoes for weeks.

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Hope you liked it, please review!


	2. Blood, Kiss, Taste, Home, Name

Disclaimers, authors notes, ratings, ect in chapter one.

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**Chapter Two: Blood, Kiss, Taste, Home, Name**

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**Blood**

Derek gets hurt during a hockey game; some random guy on the other team slams him against the glass surrounding the ice in the last few seconds of the game (Casey shoots out of her seat, hands covering her mouth, tears filling her eyes). He lets the coach look at the cut under his eye but refuses any treatment, saying that he's fine. After a few minutes he's walking out of the arena, planning on going home to the apartment when Casey grabs his elbow and drags him back inside.

She pushes him into an empty rest room and locks the door behind them. She spins around to face him and he speaks, "Geeze, Case, I know you want me and all, but this is extreme." She doesn't answer (or look amused) just pushes his face around until she can see clearly the cut under his eye. She grazes it lightly and his sharp intake of breath tells her everything she needs to know.

She pushes him until he's sitting on a chair, "What the hell were you thinking, Derek? Why wouldn't you go to the health center?" She wets a brown paper towel and starts to clean the drying blood away from the cut.

Derek catches her hand lightly, "It's not a big deal, Casey" he half whispers, letting her hand go. She rolls her eyes and continues to clean out the cut. When she turns to her purse and pulls out a band aide he rolls his eyes and wants to protest, but the worry in Casey's eyes is barley covering tears so he says nothing.

After she smooths the band aide to his skin he grabs her hand and kisses her knuckles, "Case," he pauses, sighs a little and pulls her down to kiss her lightly "I'm fine…it doesn't even hurt, I promise." She nods a little and wraps her arms around his neck.

When she pulls back he catches sight of himself in the mirror and can't do anything but laugh. She follows his line of sight to the mirror and the Barbie band aide under his eye. She laughs a little and explains that Marti had refused to wear anything else the last time they were home, and it was all she had in her bag. Derek sighs dramatically and pulls her into a kiss.

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**Kiss**

Even as she leans into him, she knows its wrong…knows that he knows its wrong. But he twists his hand in her hair and she couldn't stop this now even if she wanted to.

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**Taste**

He walks into the apartment and kisses her lightly. She taste like chocolate and he can't help but smile.

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**Home **

George and Derek (Edwin tried…he's now pulling boxes from the car with Lizzie) are carrying furniture and desks up the stairs to the apartment. You can hear them coming (Dad, why do we have to like together…it's not fair…its cruel and unusual punishment, I think I'd have a case here…) it becomes the soundtrack to the day.

Casey is telling Edwin and Lizzie where to put boxes as they come up the stairs and Nora is situating silverware and plates in the cabinet of the tiny kitchen. Casey's set Marti up in her (so far empty) bedroom with a coloring book and a box of crayons.

They finally get everything out of the rented UHaul and the family is going to have to leave now to get the truck back by the deadline. Marti runs around the apartment (having grabbed a roll of tape from an open box marked 'Casey – Desk') she tapes colored in pictures, torn from her book in every room. Everyone exchanges hugs and Casey has tears in her eyes when she says goodbye and Marti clings to Derek until George pulls her to him.

"Well, kids, welcome home" George says, pulling the door shut behind him, as he is the last out.

Tears fall down Casey's cheeks and Derek makes fun of her, "Come on, Space Case, it's not like we're never going to see them again" but it's undercut by the feel of his hand rubbing soothing circles on her back.

They divide not long later, each going to their rooms to unpack and situate things how they want. When Casey's pleased with her room she walks out the living room, wanting to unpack some things before she goes to bed. She glances in Derek's room in her way to the living room and sees him pulling Marti's colored picture off the wall and taping it over his desk.

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**Name**

The first time they kiss it's in the heat of an argument (of course), she's in the middle of an insult ("You're such an insufferable -") when he cuts her off, grabs her shoulders and kisses her. It's all lips and teeth and fighting…until it melts into something nicer, gentler.

Derek mumbles her name against her lips and reality crashes in. She stumbles back (all ready missing the feel of him) and gestures between them, stammering about shared families.

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Authors Note: Thank you to Jaz719, Frogster, and Zuzzeroo for reviewing!

**Please review!**


	3. Chocolate,Soft,Ears,Innocence,Jealousy

Disclaimers, authors notes, ratings, ect in chapter one.

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**Chapter Two:** **Chocolate, Soft, Ears, Innocence, Jealousy. **

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**Chocolate**

It's their first real fight of what they are now freely calling a 'relationship'. They've fought, obviously (they are who they are and relationship or no, that's not changing) but nothing like this.

Casey saves all her money through the year so that when summer break rolls around she can take the college's summer dance seminar. She's always tired and her muscles ache by the end of the summer but she loves every moment of it. The whole family is coming down for the performance at the end – she got a solo.

Casey and Derek haven't told the family about their relationship yet so he plans to sit in the back where they won't overhear comments about 'his girlfriend' since no one at school know about their step-sibling status.

Except Derek forgets.

He goes to a friend's house to pick up some stuff for hockey practice (honest) but the friend is having a party. One drink turns into two turns into "Five more minutes…seriously!" turns into a couple hours. Turns into a missed call from Edwin telling him that the family was taking Casey to dinner and maybe he should come by. Turns into a missed call from Lizzie telling him that they were having desert and if he was planning on coming by and saying hi to Marti he'd better get here fast. Turns into a missed call from his dad saying that they were headed home and Marti missed seeing him (he can hear Marti in the background, 'I love you, Smerk') and that he really should have shown up for Casey, no matter how much they didn't along.

He knows he's fucked.

He stops at a small store and picks up flowers and chocolate and tip toes into the apartment. He can hear the sound of music from Casey's room and he taps his knuckles against the door a few times before pushing on it. "I'm sorry" he says before she's even turned to look at the door. The thing is that he really did want to be there, he messed up and he knows that and he's sorry and there's nothing he can do and he really wants to go back to the days when he didn't care if he hurt people because that was a whole lot easier on him.

She sighs a little and rolls her eyes before she stands to face him, "Derek…" she starts but trails off. He sets the flowers down on her desk and tosses the box of chocolate on her bed and walks over to her. He leans into kiss her and she tilts her head away. "How could you not show up?" she asks, her voice small.

He ghosts his hands down her arms and doesn't know what to say. "I messed up, I'm sorry" he whispers, his lips brushing her forehead as he speaks. She nods a little, says she just wants to go to bed and he sighs before he nods and goes to his own room.

The next morning she's dropping pieces of the chocolate into a cup of coffee and he knows he'll pay for not being there…but also that they'll be okay.

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**Soft**

His hair is soft under her fingers and her brain keeps flashing words like 'bad' and 'wrong' and 'sick' but his hand comes up to cup her cheek and he mumbles "You're gorgeous" against her lips and she melts into him, her brain shutting down completely.

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**Ears**

They've been at college for about a month and Derek has never seen Casey leave the apartment for anything other than class or the library. They don't talk much (outside of what needs to be done for the apartment). They made a sort of silent agreement when they'd moved in; they were forced to live together and they couldn't change that but they did not want their respective college experiences ruined by one another so they would stay out of each other's lives as much as possible. So when he barges into her room at eight on a Saturday evening it's unexpected (which, in its self is weird).

He invites her to a party being thrown by one of his hockey teammates. She's reluctant (and sure it's some sort of a trap) but making friends (which was always so easy for her back home) has been unexpectedly hard for her here. And really, it'd be nice to leave the apartment for something other than class or studying so in the end she goes.

On the way home, she sits in the passenger side of The Prince and plugs and unplugs her ears repeatedly, trying to stop the ringing produced by the volume of the band that played at the party.

The next morning, she wakes up early and makes breakfast for Derek (and he knows she had fun). It's the beginning of something different for them, the change in the air slight but definite.

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**Innocence**

She walks out of the bathroom, twisting her still wet hair into a bun and Derek glances over at her; she's wearing a black tank top and black boy-short underwear with Tinkerbelle on the side. She walks over, and giggles when she straddles him, and as his hands trail down her sides he knows that he's in dangerous territory.

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**Jealously**

It's been two weeks since she told him that she 'could not do this anymore'. They hadn't been in a relationship exactly (they'd never really talked about it) but there had been kissing and hands under shirts and one day Marti called and said she was glad Casey was her big sister before asking to talk to Derek and she passed the phone off silently, her stomach twisting painfully.

That night she went to Derek's room and kissed him, hard and slow and with want and pain and everything else. When she broke away he had a look of happy surprise on his face, until she cleared her throat a little (unable to get the tears out) and said that she couldn't…wouldn't do this anymore.

Now, she's sitting on a bench in the student union, reading a book for class when she glances up. Derek's a few benches away (he clearly hasn't seen her) sitting with a pretty blond girl. Casey wants to look away, wants to just go back to reading her book like any _step sister_ would. But she can't look away, but then the blond girl grabs the front if Derek's leather jacket and pulls him to her, kissing him soundly and Casey trips over the bench as she grabs her book and leaves.

A few hours later, Derek walks back into the apartment, dropping his backpack on the couch and walking back towards his room. When he passes Casey's room he can hear the television playing and looks inside (not sure what he's going to say). But Casey's lying across her bed, sleeping. So he walks in and turns off the television and pulls a blanket over her. As he does, he sees tear tracks on her cheeks and his eyebrows furrow together in confusion. He wants to wake her up, ask her what happened but she told him (in no uncertain terms) that she was no longer interested so he swallows the lump forming in his throat and kisses her forehead lightly before walking back to his room.

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_Authors Note: _Thank you to leanaplumz, Jaz719, GhostWritter, Pointless(dot)Love , Mac-Reye, and Frogster for reviewing I REALLY appreciate it!

**Please Review **


	4. Hell, Sex, Speed, Hair, Confusion

Disclaimers, authors notes, ratings, ect in chapter one.

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**Chapter Four: Hell, Sex, Speed, Hair, Confusion  


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**Hell**

It takes Derek months to get a hold of his mother. They'd told George and Nora about their relationship right after Christmas and they hadn't disowned them, but they were also not happy, it was clear they hadn't really decided what their reaction would be just yet.

Derek had been trying to get in contact (not email) with his mother since they got back to school. The weather was all ready starting to turn warmer when his mother picked up the phone.

He was excited to hear from her and they talked for about half an hour before Derek remembered why he called. He tells his mom and her silence lasts so long that he's sure the connection has dropped.

"That's…that's incest" she says quietly, like she's afraid of being overheard.

"No, it's not…we're not related, not really" Derek says. He's not sure why, but he thought maybe his mom would have been more supportive than the rest of his family.

"Same difference, Derek" she bites out. "This is not okay…this, this is the kind of thing you go to hell for" she adds.

"Mom -" he starts but hears the dial tone and he knows the connection didn't drop…knows his mother just hung up on him.

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**Sex**

When he pushes into her, she gasps and he whispers in her ear over and over, "I'm sorry, Case" he kisses her lightly as he starts to move in and out of her, "breath baby…".

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**Speed**

He and Casey get in a fight about something stupid ('Der-ek, why is it so hard for you to put things back where you found them') and while normally he'd just yell back and it'd go for a bit before he'd pull her to the couch and kiss his way down her stomach promising 'never-ever to do it again', today he was not in the mood for this. He'd had a crappy time at school and then gone to hockey where he'd had a horrible practice so instead of arguing with Casey like normal he balls his hands into fists and barks "Go to hell, Casey" before storming out and getting into his car.

He's really too angry to be driving, and he's driving too fast but the speed makes him feel good and the distance makes him feel better.

A few hours later, he gets back home and he all ready feels shitty for snapping at Casey like that. He's as quiet as he can be as he slips his shoes off and walks to his room at the end of the hall. He sees light coming from under Casey's door and he sighs, dropping his coat and keys on his bed before turning back and tapping his knuckles on Casey's door. He doesn't wait for an answer.

"What do you want, Der?" she sighs, looking up from her physics book.

"I'm sorry, Case" he says and she just rolls her eyes. "Come on, Case, I had a bad day and I screwed up." She raises her eye brows for a moment before she goes back to her book.

He pulls her book from her hands and sets it on the ground before moving over her, his knees by her hips, he dunks his head to kiss her and laughs lightly when she just barley responds.

He slowly unbuttons her PJ top and kisses a line from her throat, down her stomach, "I will never do it again…" he mumbles into her belly button. She finally breaks; laughing and pulling him back up to kiss her while she pulls his shirt off.

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**Hair**

His hand pulls through her hair as he kisses her cheek and Casey thinks maybe its stupid; that something so simple makes her feel so good.

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**Confusion**

It was a few weeks after Christmas as they made the drive from Kingston to London on a day when they knew all their siblings would have activities. The drive was mostly silent, save Casey's constant changing of the radio stations. Normally Derek would fight over the radio…not because he particularly cared but because it was fun…and it was what they did.

But, today he knew how completely freaked out Casey was and how in her weird way, playing with radio was probably helping. When he pulls into the drive way neither of them moves to get out of the car. He reaches over and takes her hand and he can feel her shaking. He's concerned but he doesn't know what to say, or what to do so he runs his hand from hers, up her arm and around the back of her neck so he can pull her to him. She folds (too) easily against him and he presses a kiss to the top of her head.

After a while they know they have to go in now, or all the careful planning to arrive when the house would only hold their parents and baby sister will have been for naught as the rest of their family would be arrive home from their various activities in a couple of hours.

Casey gets out of the car and pushes her door shut, leaning against it afterward. Derek chuckles as he walks around to her side of the car. He leans close to her, his hands against the car on either side of her frame. Her eyes dart towards the house before settling on him. He kisses her once, quickly, before moving his hands from the car to her hips, "Der-ek" her voice is a low hiss, laced with warning.

He kisses her again and she returns it, looking back at the house as soon as they break away. A moment passes, "I don't want to do this"

Derek nods a little and folds his arms around her, "think we have to" he mumbles. He can feel her nod against his chest. She steps back from him and he tucks her hair behind her ears on either side of her face before he kisses her forehead.

They walk into the house and (after a bit of searching) find Nora and George in the basement with baby Lilly. They look up at the sound of footsteps traveling down the stairs, surprise evident at seeing their two eldest children; everyone exchanges hugs. Lilly is asleep in a swing that's playing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on a loop and Casey looks at her, thinking about how this will affect her. Derek follows her sight line and clears his throat, "We, uh…we wanted to tell you something" he says sitting on the couch with Casey while their parents sit on the bed.

So, Casey and Derek tell their parents that they're together and George and Nora immediately start questioning (when, how, why, ect) and Lilly is awakened to the sound of George yelling at Derek. Nora cries and Casey's pretty sure that she's never made her mother cry.

She feels disgusted with herself, while the yelling makes Derek feel defiant.

"I'm sorry…I…" Casey mumbles, she neglects to finish the sentence though and takes the stairs two at a time until she's on the main floor on the house. She stops there, but only for a moment before she runs up the stairs that used to lead to her room (and now lead to a mostly empty room). She goes into the bathroom and slams the door, locking it and leaning against it once it's closed. She hears footsteps coming toward the room and holds her breath, closing her eyes tightly after she sees the door handle start to move.

"Come on, Case…you know I can pick this lock, just let me in" he says, forehead leaning against the door. She rolls her eyes while she unlocks the door stepping back so he can enter; she closes the door behind him. He immediately wraps his arms around her and kisses the top of her head while she buries her face in his chest, he can already feel moisture from her tears seeping through the cotton of his shirt.

After a few moments pass they can hear their parents talking, they must be on the main floor of the house now, and Casey looks up at Derek, "We shouldn't have told them" she mumbles through teary hiccups.

"We had to, Case, I mean what else were we going to do?" she can hears tears in his voice, and she knows this is affecting him just like it is her; he's just better with concealing emotions than her. She nods a little and leans up on her tip-toes to kiss him.

When she pulls back from the kiss she rests her hands on his cheeks and pulls him down until his forehead is on hers "I love you" he closes his eyes and one tear falls from his lashes to her cheek before he kisses her again, slow and soft.

"I love you, too" he mumbles against her lips as they pull away. He takes a half step away from her, scrubbing his hands over his face a few times. He puts one hand on her hip and reaches behind her with the other, turning on the sink and running a washcloth under the water.

He pushes her lightly, guiding her to sit on the edge of the sink. He rings out the washcloth and runs it over her cheek, under her eye where her mascara is running with her tears. When he finishes she's left with no make up and red eyes that she can't stop rubbing at. He throws the washcloth in the hamper and turns back to her, "You're gorgeous" he whispers trailing his hands down her arms.

She rolls her eyes; "Yeah right" she mumbles scooting off the edge of the sink until her feet hit the floor softly. She stares at the door behind Derek, "What are we going to say to them?" she asks. She's not delusional; she knew that her mom and George would not be pleased by this but she honestly confused at why they are so angry.

"I don't know" he answers honestly. She nods a little before walking out of the bathroom, Derek right behind her. Their parents are in the dining room, sitting at the table, talking about Casey and Derek (baby Lilly crawling happily on the floor).

They go silent as Casey and Derek walk down the stairs and over to the table Casey swallows hard before taking a seat at the table, followed by Derek. "Mom, George, I know that this surprised you a great deal and that you may not be very happy with it," George starts to interrupt her ('that's quite the understatement, Casey') Nora puts her hand on George's so he stays silent (seeing Casey's scrubbed, tear stain face calls up Nora's motherly instinct/protectiveness which outweighs anger) "but Derek and I are very happy," she glances at Derek, as if for conformation, and he smirks so she continues, "and we'd really like for you to be happy for us."

Nora nods once, "I think, Casey, that right now we're mostly just confused. We did not see this coming and -" she's cut off when the door swings open to reveal Lizzie, Edwin, and Marti.

The silence is broken when Marti screams out "Smrek!" and runs to her big brother. Derek picks her up easily, holding her to him while her arms secure around his neck. Edwin and Lizzie also walk over to see their siblings; they however, can tell that something isn't right. "What are you guys doing here?" Lizzie asks looking at Casey's tears spotted face with concern. Casey puts her arm around Lizzie's shoulders in a half hug ready to make up a reason for their presence when George scoffs.

"Dad" Derek says, warning in his tone. It seems that even Marti senses the shift in dynamic this time because she taps Derek's shoulder awkwardly before asking if he and daddy are fighting.

George looks over, "Go ahead and tell them" he says mocking clear in his voice. It's clear (to the adults) that he doesn't mean that, he's baiting.

But Derek's not in the mood and he sets his jaw before "Casey and I are in a relationship" Casey and Nora both shut their eyes as he says it and the room is filled with questions before Derek's even fully got the sentence out.

Casey and Derek take Lizzie, Edwin, and Marti into the living room and sit on the couch, trying to explain to their little siblings what this means. Nora listens from the dining room and smacks the back of her hand against her husband's chest when he moves closer to her.

Casey and Derek don't stay for dinner, and don't really talk to their parents anymore that night. But four days later Casey gets a call from Nora and about a week after that Derek gets one from George.

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_Authors Note: _So, I only got two reviews last chapter (but several 'favorites' and 'alerts'). Please take the time to review!

Thank you to GhostWriter and Mac-reye for reviewing!

**Please Review!**


	5. Life,Melody,Star,Happiness,Lightening

Disclaimers, authors notes, ratings, ect in chapter one.

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**Chapter Five: Life, Melody, Star, Happiness, Lightening/Thunder  
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**Life**

The first time Derek holds their new baby sister for any length of time, he's sitting in a doctor's waiting room with Casey. Nora and George are at the desk filling out paper work. A woman walks by and says that they make a lovely couple and that their daughter looks just like them. Derek hears Casey's sharp intake of breath and glances over at her (they'd kissed the day before Lilly was born but never really talked about it).

The thing is; Lilly does look just like them. She's got Derek's red/brown hair and Casey's big blue eyes and all the sudden things are much more complicated.

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**Melody**

It's their first night in the apartment, and he's still half asleep but he can hear her singing in the shower. He rolls on to his back and closes his eyes while he listens to her sing out of date pop songs.

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**Star**

They've been in the apartment a few months; Derek loves college life while Casey is still struggling with acclimating a little. One Friday night Derek barges into Casey's room and she doesn't even bother to turn away from what she's doing, "What do you want, Derek?" she asks, annoyance creeping into her voice.

"Come on" he says, offering no further explanation.

"What? Where?" She asks closing her book and turning to look at him. Their first month they'd hardly even spoken but after he'd taken her to party (clearly trying to her to socialize) things had gotten much better. They'd been all most friends lately and she found she rather enjoyed this new peace between them. But…it was still her and Derek and a certain amount of caution was always good.

He lightly wraps his fingers around her elbow and pulls her until she stands and follows him. They go up several flights of stairs before he pushes open a door that says 'Roof Access: Authorized Personal Only' in big bold letters. "Are you going to throw me off the roof?" she mumbles.

"Now that you mention it…" he answers sarcastically. When she stops moving he reaches back and grabs her hand, pulling her, "I'm not throwing you off a roof, Casey. There is no way I'd be able to explain that to Dad and Nora…" he trails off as if contemplating an explanation.

"Der-ek, we're not supposed to be up here, the sign on the door said -" he cuts her off, grabbing her shoulders and using his hand to tilt her chin up. She finally gets why he brought her out here. In a town as big as Kingston, it's rare that you can see many stars – the lights of the city blocking them out. But tonight, you could see hundreds, if not thousands of them – a shooting star going by every few minutes. She can hear Derek taking about some sort of astrological event, but it barely registers as she stares up at the sky.

Finally, what pulls her out of the trance is the feel of Derek's hand around her wrist, pulling her to spot in the center of the roof where a worn out blanket is laid out. Derek sits first and she follows. "How often do you come up here?"

Derek shrugs before pulling off his leather jacket and bunching it up behind him, lying down and using it as a pillow, "a lot I guess" he mumbles, voice low as he glances between her and the star covered sky.

"It's nice" she whispers, afraid speaking louder will somehow alter what's happening. She slowly lies back as well, not breaking her gaze at the sky. She's surprised when Derek un-bunches his jacket and spreads it out more so she can lay her head on it as well.

It brings them quite close together, physically, and maybe in more ways. She smiles absently when their hands meet and their fingers fold around each other until they are intertwined. She looks away from the sky, for the first time, and at Derek, surprised to find him already looking at her. When their eyes meet they share a soft smile and Casey knows things are changing between them…the shift in the air all most palpable, what she does not yet know is where this is going, or what she is going to do about it.

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**Happiness **

They're sitting on the couch in the living room, watching some dumb movie when Casey suddenly moves from her positing leaning against his side. She swings her leg over his lap and settles her knees into the couch next to his hips so she's straddling him. He smiles and reaches up to cup her cheeks in his hands, "hi" he says, laughter in his voice.

"Hi" She returns giggling. She dunks her head down to kiss him and maybe it's stupid or dorky or cliché or whatever, but he's never been this happy in his life.

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**Lightening/Thunder **

She wakes up to the sound of the storm, jumping slightly as the sound of thunder crashes around her. She tries to go back to sleep, but as flashes of lightening illuminate her room followed by crashes of thunder she knows it's useless. She stands up, pulling a robe over her shorts and tank top and shoving her feet into blue bunny slippers. She pads out of her room, glancing in Derek's room (he's sound asleep…figures) before walking the short hallway to the living room.

She picks up the remote control and turns the television on. She flips through three of four channels before she hears a sharp pinging sound and the television cuts out. For a moment she thinks the television has broken until she glances in the kitchen and the small microwave clock is black. It hits her then that the power is out, she hopes, absently, that it kicks back on soon; they'd just gone grocery shopping the day before and she didn't want to have to throw away all their refrigerated items.

She pulls the curtains of the living room window open as wide as they'll go and sits down in Derek's chair (it's the closest seat to the window). She folds her legs under herself (taking up less than half of the chair) and folds her hands on top of the chair, resting her head on her hands to look out the window.

The rain beats heavily on the roof, it's loud and she can't remember the last storm this bad. The wind is picking up and pulling the rain sideways to hit the ground at a new angle. She tenses when she sees lightening and jumps when she hears thunder and feels incredibly ridiculous every time.

"Casey?" she jumps at the sound of his voice, falling backwards into the chair and the next thing she hears is his laughter mingling with thunder and so she crosses her arms over her chest when she looks at him. "Sorry" he says reigning in his laughter, "Sorry" he says it again, holding his hands up. He nods a little and moves to sit on the arm of the chair so he can look out the window as well.

They sit in relative silence for the next few minutes, both looking out at the storm. A particularly loud round of thunder begins and Casey visibly jumps, withdrawing into herself. He's still for a moment before he tentatively runs his hand from her shoulder down her arm and back to her shoulder. She pulls in a sharp intake of breath at his touch (not long ago they'd ended their non-relationship and she'd later seen him with a girl on the quad).

"Derek" she sighs, turning to look at him. He cuts her off, his lips coming down to capture hers. They spend the rest of the night talking and by the end of the night (and the storm) they've decided to try a real relationship.

Hours later, when the power kicks back on and Casey twitches slightly at the sudden onslaught of light, Derek pulls her back to him and she laughs lightly into the kiss.

* * *

_Authors Note:_ Thank you very much to SSJJ92, MerXDerX4ever, GhostWriter, Ponderer Of Ponderings, Frogster, and Pointless(dot)Love for reviewing, it definitely makes my day to get reviews, I really appreciate it!

**Please Review**


	6. Bonds, Hands, Sky, Telephone, Touch

Disclaimers, authors notes, ratings, ect in chapter one.

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**Chapter Six: Bonds, Hands, Sky, Telephone, Touch**

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**Bonds**

They're in the waiting room; Casey and Lizzie are playing Scrabble while Derek teaches Edwin poker (Marti curled up asleep in his lap). It's been hours and they're all anxious, nervous energy bouncing around the room. George walks into the room and all the attention snaps to him, even Marti sits up in Derek's lap, looking at her father.

George is holding a little baby in a bright pink blanket and you can hear tears thick in his voice when he says "Kids, meet your new baby sister, Lilly". They all stand and look at the little girl before George's name is called from down the hall.

Marti looks around the room as George disappears back through the double doors and she clears her throat before says loudly "I thought I was the baby sister" Edwin laughs and Lizzie looks at her older sister but Casey and Derek have their eyes locked in one another. It's all most tangible…what they both know this will do to them.

* * *

**Hands**

They're walking across campus and Casey is talking animatedly about her classes. Derek reaches over and pulls her hand into his, threading his fingers with hers. Casey tells the rest of her story with a broad smile on her face.

* * *

**Sky**

She's sitting in class, staring out the window next to her, and at the sky. She's unbelievably thankful that no one around her know that her and Derek are quasi related (yesterday he'd kissed her in the middle of the quad and their relationship was no longer under wraps). She wonders idly what this will do to their family and what might happen if the people here find out.

* * *

**Telephone**

He's sitting in the living room, watching a hockey game when he hears a high pitch ring tone that he knows isn't his. He glances around until he sees Casey's phone sitting on the coffee table. "Case, phone" he yells out.

He rolls his eyes and picks up the phone; he presses a button on the side to silence the ring tone. Casey walks out at that moment, "Der-ek, give me my phone back"

"Relax, princess, you left it out here" he laughs standing up to hand her the phone.

She snatches is, "Derek, you are such an insufferable -" his lips on hers cuts her off.

There was nothing about that moment or that fight that Derek found particularly sexy or romantic. But this thing between them has been building up for months (years) and all the sudden he just couldn't hold it in any more. She's still for a moment, not sure what's going on, until his fingers wind into her hair and she's responding in earnest

* * *

**Touch**

His hands graze lightly over her thigh as they travel under her skirt, she tenses up for a moment and he's about to pull back but she fists her hands in his hair and pulls him closer so he lightly trails his fingers over her underwear, they're damp and buries his face in her hair, his lips brushing her shoulder when his groans out "God, Case…"

Her head drops back and he kisses across her shoulder, pushing her bra strap down her arm. His bare stomach brushes over hers as moves over her to kiss her lips before moving down the column of her throat. She whimpers softly, turning her head to grant him better access. His lips brush the hollow of her throat and she stammers out his name while she fists one hand in his hair, the other grabbing at his shoulder blade.

Derek slowly pushes a finger under the elastic band of her panties and she gasps, going still for a moment. He pauses until she whispers "please…" and he starts to push his finger inside of her. She arches up into him and he feels his dick strain painfully against his jeans.

He kisses her as he hooks his finger around her panties and pulls them down; he lets them fall on the floor next to their shirts. She's nervous; no one's ever touched her like this before. He pushes his finger back into her and she closes her eyes.

He pumps his finger in and out of her, slowly at first, until she seems more comfortable, then he speeds up and adds another finger. She repeats his name over and over, pulling at his back and arching into him. He kisses her when he feels her start to shudder around his fingers and he smiles when she goes slack, somehow still kissing him. He wipes his fingers off his jeans and brings his hand up to cup her cheek.

* * *

_Authors Note:_ Thank you very much to Zuzzeroo, Laura Ferreri, TheDarkAngel22, GhostWritter, Frogster, and MerXDerX4Ever for reviewing the last chapter. I know that everyone is busy and it means a lot to me that you take the time to review! Thanks!

**Please Review **


	7. Death,Technology,Sensual,Devotion,Clouds

Disclaimers, authors notes, ratings, ect in chapter one.

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**Chapter Seven: Death, Technology, Sensual, Devotion, Clouds**

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**Death**

Casey goes to the student health center for her required physical (her senior year she has room for dance on her schedule) on a Thursday. On Friday they call her and ask if she can come back in on Monday for a follow up.

She doesn't think much of it as she's walking to the building. She goes in and gives her name; a nurse takes her blood before telling her to have a seat in the waiting room. She's flipping through a magazine when her name is called. She follows the work study student back to a room and sits on the examination table inside.

About ten minutes later a doctor comes in and sits at the desk chair across from her. He's holding a chart and look on his face is somewhat disconcerting. For the first time since she got the call on Friday she's thinking this is more than just a follow up, "What's going on?" she asks her voice shaky.

"Miss. MacDonald, I am terribly sorry to have to inform you that you miscarried." The doctor states, watching her critically.

"I what…I was pregnant?" Casey stammers, looking all around the room as if the answer could be found in the wall paper or blue tile.

"That's why we called you back, you didn't know?" Casey shakes her head, brown hair falling into her face, "You were only a few weeks along, and miss-carriages are not uncommon at that time." He goes on to explain that she'll be fine and he does a pelvic exam before she leaves.

Casey leaves in a daze; she's diligent about her birth control, following the directions on the back of the circular pack to the letter. But it does say 99.9% effective for a reason.

She wonders how she should feel about this. She doesn't want a child right now; it's not the right time, but celebrating a miscarriage seems wrong. She's also inexplicably sad for the loss of a child she hadn't even known had been forming.

She walks home and Derek is sitting on the couch, watching hockey and throwing chips at the screen when the other team scores. "I'm going to clean them up" he says, without looking up, when the door creeks open.

"Yeah right" she mumbles dropping her purse and sitting next to him. He lays his arm across her shoulders and she burrows into him. He glances between her and the television a few times.

"What's wrong, Case?" he asks.

She swallows, "I went to student health services today."

He nods, "yeah, a follow up, right?" she can hear concern in his voice and she leans up and kisses him quickly before she nods. "Then what's wrong, Casey?" When she tells him about the baby they all most had, and the miscarriage that occurred before they'd known he rubs his hands over his face and doesn't know what to say. When she's done, she leans back against him and he presses his lips to her temple, "One day," he starts, his lips brushing her temple, his warm breath tickling the side of her neck, his hand in her hair as he speaks, "One day, when we're ready, we'll have kids." He promises her, surprising himself with the proclamation until he looks at Casey and pictures her holding their baby and the picture in his mind makes him smile.

She twists in his arms and launches up to capture his lips with hers; they're still in college and they know that 'when we're ready' is a long way off, and they know that their relationship isn't going to be easy. But when Derek thinks about it he can see a little boy with her eyes and his mischief and he wants that in a way that he never has before.

* * *

**Technology**

Derek has to travel relatively frequently over the hockey season. In a lot of ways Casey likes it; she gets the apartment to herself, she can watch what she wants and study in the living room without Derek distracting her. But she does, of course, miss her boyfriend.

He calls her after the game, every time, and they text, and on his most recent trip they discovered Skype. It's fun and a little dorky but they enjoy it.

* * *

**Sensual**

Every year the school throws a formal. Derek thinks it's a little high school but Casey loves the idea so he gives in and agrees to go (he's already plotting out how she will pay).

She won't let him out of the living room the whole time she's getting ready (so she can move between the bathroom and her room easily) so he sits on the couch (wrinkling the suit he rented slightly) and flips the television to Sports Center.

They get to the dance a little after ten and she loves every second it. After about an hour he goes to the rest room and when he walks out she sitting at a table, eyes fixed on the dance floor. He walks up behind her and his knuckles trail over her shoulder before his hands rests in front of her. She smiles as she takes his hands and stands, letting him lead her to the dance floor for a slow song.

She settles easily into his arms, her cheek lying against his shoulder comfortably. "You're beautiful" he whispers in ear as they sway. She smiles and tilts her head up to kiss him.

* * *

**Devotion**

They're on the couch in the living room. He's lying on his back and Casey is lying half on him, half on the couch. One of her hands is on his stomach, the other bent under her head. His arms are around her; one tracing circles over the hand she has resting on his stomach, the other pulling through her hair in an easy, slow repetitive motion.

There is an empty pizza box laid out on the coffee table a few feet away, empty soda cans have tipped over and are lying partially in the box (normally Casey would have cleaned immediately but Derek pulled her down and she laughed as she settled in with him). There is a movie playing on the television but neither of them is paying much attention to it.

"This is nice" Casey mumbles, breaking the silence that had fallen over them hours ago. She turns her head slightly and lightly kisses his chest. "I like this part" she adds. They both know what she means; between fighting and how busy they both always are, the quiet time like this is somehow magical.

Derek makes a noise of agreement from low in his throat before tilting his head down to press a kiss to the top of her head. He can hear a smile in the way she exhales. After a few long moments Derek swallows heavily before "I love you, Case."

She sits up and looks at him, blue eyes a little wide. He reaches up and runs the back of his hand down her cheek lightly. He's barley ready for it when her lips crash into his, but he recovers quickly and returns the kiss, winding his splayed fingers in her hair loosely.

She pulls back and smiles, all most shyly, looking in his eyes (all most searching) "I love you too, Derek."

* * *

**Clouds**

They're home for a long weekend a couple months after their new baby sister, Lilly, is born. They left after Derek's hockey practice on Friday and got in late that night. The car ride is long and relatively quiet; partly because Casey falls asleep about half way there and party because they're in a weird space. They aren't in a relationship, but they do periodically make out on the couch in the living room (it's more like a relationship than they'll admit, but they're calling it 'making out on the couch').

When Casey wakes up on Saturday morning she makes breakfast to the soundtrack of Lilly's cries seeping up from the basement. Derek is the first one to appear on the main floor of the house (though she knows she heard Lizzie walking around, singing to herself, earlier). He doesn't touch her, walking around the island to pull plates and cups so things are laid out when everyone starts filtering into the kitchen. He lowers a plate in front of her and she slides two pancakes on it. "Thanks, case" he mumbles sitting down.

Not long later Lizzie, Edwin, and Marti run down the stairs (racing) and into the kitchen. They all grab plates from the stack Derek had earlier pulled down. Casey slides pancakes onto everyone's plates and Derek helps Marti pour orange juice into her glass.

Nora and George appear from the basement not long later. Nora hands Lilly to Casey and pours herself a cup of coffee. Marti jumps up and immediately tries to tell her father and step mother stories; Nora stares into her coffee and George rubs his eyes.

"Hey, Smarti!" Derek jumps from his chair to grab his sister, "Why don't we hang out today?" he asks. Marti likes being an older sister; she's taken to sitting on the couch (holding Lilly) and explaining things like colors to her. But, as much as she likes Lilly and being Lilly's big sister she also misses being the baby and the attention that came with. Marti smiles and nods her head hard, causing her hair to fly around her face wildly.

Hours later, when Derek and Marti get back from the mall and run through the house with huge smoothie cups Marti runs right into Casey and grabs her hand, pulling Casey with her until they meet up with Derek in the back yard. "Come on! Come on!" she yells to them running until she reaches the middle of the yard, collapsing there on her back, looking up at the sky above.

Casey and Derek follow suite, lying down on the ground, looking up at the sky. Marti starts pointing out clouds, "that's a hat…that's a pony…" over and over. Derek reaches over and takes Casey's hand and she smiles as she starts asking Marti what different cloud formations are.

* * *

_Authors Note:_ Thank you so much to Zuzzeroo, EreshkigalGirl, Lanter, GhostWritter, and SSJJ92 for reviewing! I very much appreciate you taking the time to review!

Sorry this update took so long, I promise to try to do better in the future.

**Please Review!**


	8. Moon, Wind, Smile, Rain, Comfort

Disclaimers, authors notes, ratings, ect in chapter one.

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**Chapter Eight: Moon, Wind, Smile, Rain, Comfort  


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**Moon**

On their first anniversary Derek isn't sure what to do (really, this is the first relationship that's made it that far – with Sally it ended with her leaving, before they'd been together a full year and she was the only one (before Casey) he would have considered honoring such a thing for). Besides, he wasn't even sure it counted because they hadn't been together the whole year (little spats had broken them up for a few days a handful of times) but Derek knew that on the calendar in Casey's room there was a small drawn on heart in the corner of Thursday's date.

So, he does what he figures a good boyfriend is supposed to do and makes reservations and dresses up and knocks dramatically on Casey's room door and hands her a bouquet of daises before they go (she giggles while she puts them in water and shyly tucks her hair behind her ear).

They walk to dinner since the restaurant it close and Casey spends most of the walk saying that she didn't expect him to remember and she's surprised that he's done all this. He smiles and shrugs and doesn't tell her that he didn't remember until he saw the red magic marker heart on her calendar.

After dinner, they walk back to the apartment; Casey tucked under Derek's arm, her silver dress fluttering in the evening breeze, her shoes in her hand since the heels hurt her feet when Derek stops and pulls her to him. She turns to face him and leans into him, looking up so she can meet his eyes with hers, "What?" she finally asks, smiling.

Derek smiles and kisses her quickly before pulling a necklace box from his jacket pocket and hands it to her. Her eyes widen and she kisses him before taking the box and opening it slowly. Inside she finds a gold necklace with a moon and little stars and she stares at it silently before taking it out of the box and looking between it and Derek. "Do you like it?' he finally asks, his voice betraying nervousness.

She looks up at him and nods silently before smiling broadly and pulling herself on her tip toes to kiss him. "I love it" she whispers, her lips brushing his as she speaks. She pushes the necklace into Derek's open palm and turns around, pulling up her hair as she does so that Derek can fasten the necklace. It takes him three tries to fasten the small chain but after he does he drops a kiss to her shoulder and Casey turns and kisses him once before lacing her fingers with his and pulling him back towards the apartment.

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**Wind**

There is a huge wind storm one evening in early spring. It knocks out power and Casey and Derek get automated text messages from the university saying they are preemptively canceling classes for the following day. Tree branches are down everywhere and Derek doesn't think much about it (except to be excited about the day off) until he walks outside and sees a huge tree branch resting across the top of The Prince.

* * *

**Smile**

They run into each other (literally) in the hall of the small apartment they share. It's their first day back in Kingston since their baby sister was born and it's been…awkward (at best). The day before baby Lilly's birth Derek had (finally) kissed Casey (worst timing ever). When they run into each other and Derek's hand instinctively goes to her hip to steady her he feels her tense and when he looks at her, her smile is strained (at best). They both mumble apologizes and gesture in the direction they were going before heading to their rooms.

* * *

**Rain**

It's drizzling outside, barley hard enough to call it rain but just enough to ruin any outdoor plans. Derek thinks fleetingly that it should either rain or not, this drizzling crap drives him crazy.

It's cold out, just a few degrees above freezing, and now with the cloud of rain surrounding them it's pretty miserable. Add to that the hockey coach yelling plays and instruction at them from a bench under an awning next to center ice and Derek's about ready to snap. As they play (the team separated into red and blue teams to play against each other) he has to keep reminding himself that he loves hockey and it's what he wants to do… stray thoughts about why the coach wants to torture them by making them practice outside and why the asshole playing left wing can't get the play right keep infiltrating.

They've had a solid rotating crowd of about three dozen people stopping to watch between classes standing under an awning on the opposite side of the rink from the coach, cheering when one team or the other scores and cringing when someone gets crashed against the side of the rink. Even the sound of the people watching is starting to annoy Derek until he shoots and the puck slams through to the back of the net and he hears Casey's voice from the crowd.

* * *

**Comfort**

Casey knows that Derek and Abby talked - Casey had been leaving to make a grocery run and opened Derek's door to ask if he wanted anything when he pointed to his phone and mouthed 'mom' with a broad smile on his face.

About an hour later when she returns home Derek is still in his room and when she opens the door he is laying on his bed, his phone a few feet away (in three pieces). She walks over slowly and sits on the edge of the bed. "Not now, Case" he says (his voice low and scratchy) without moving his eyes from the ceiling.

"What happened, Derek?" she asks in a half whisper.

He closes his eyes for a brief moment before re-focusing on the ceiling, "Not now" he repeats in a mumble.

Casey sighs a little, glancing around the room as if some clue as to what happened is hidden in the cluttered shelves around her. She reaches over and rests her hand on his knee and when he jerks away from the touch she wants to cry. "Der…"

"Will you just stop, Casey" he snaps and she nods a little before she stands and walks out to the kitchen and puts her newly purchased groceries away.

She all most goes back in Derek's room three times (hand on the door knob, ready to turn before she loses her nerve) before she actually does. When she walks in and over to the bed, she can immediately tell that he's been crying (she can't remember seeing him cry before…it makes her about ten times as worried). She tries to think of what to say (fails) before she walks over and just lies down next to him (not touching – just there).

Less than a minute after she lies down Derek pulls the blanket over her (she always gets cold in the evening) and pulls her toward him. She pulls the blanket up so it covers him too and lays her head on his chest, she traces small circles on his stomach. He pulls his hand through her hair "I'm sorry for snapping" he whispers into her hair and she shakes her head a little and presses a kiss to his chest.

The next day he acts like nothing happened and they don't talk about it again until three days later (when Casey come home with a new cellular phone for Derek) he kisses her forehead lightly, turning the phone over in his hand a few times before he sighs and finally tells her about his conversation with his mother.

('You're going to hell…its insect' rings in his ears while he _doesn't_ transfer her number into the new phone).

* * *

Authors Note: Thank you to MerxDerX4ever, SSJJ92, and Zuzzeroo for reviewing chapter seven. I very much appreciate the reviews!

**Please Review!**


	9. Sickness, Sun, Gift, Hurt, Tears

Disclaimers, authors notes, ratings, ect in chapter one.

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**Chapter Nine: Sickness, Sun, Gift, Hurt, Tears**

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**Sickness**

Casey and Derek enter into a real relationship and not too long later, spring break rolls around. In all 4 years of school it's one of the only extended breaks that they don't go back to London for. They think about going on the school sponsored trip to Miami in the States but in the end they drive about 30 miles to a Waterside Inn in Gananoque a few towns over on Lake Ontario (they drive down the MacDonald Freeway to get there which entertains Derek to no end). The water in the lake is still a little cool for swimming but the Inn has a pool and the trip is more about spending time together away from the craziness of school and work and Derek's constant hockey practice so it's nice to be at an Inn.

They get there in the early evening and check into the small Inn before walking along the boardwalk until they find a small Italian restaurant and have dinner. Afterwards, Derek lets Casey convince him to walk back to the Inn along the beach and he kicks cool water up at her and she shrieks and picks up a hand full of sand, throwing it down his shirt before they both laugh and he kisses her softly.

The next day when Casey wakes up she has a bit of a sore throat but she doesn't think much of it. They go swimming at the pool then hang out on the beach a little before going to lunch at a Grill on the water. After, they walk to the Lighthouse at the end of the beach and make out a little once they get to the top.

By dinner, Casey's sore throat has developed into full blown coughing fits and a stuffy nose so Derek pulls her back to the room while she insists that she is fine.

She takes a shower and walks back to the bed in shorts and a tank top. Derek pulls her down and kisses her forehead lightly, "You're burning up" he mumbles, lips brushing against her too-pale skin. She shrugs a little and burrows her face into his chest.

Casey wakes up twice during the night to be sick; Derek holds her hair and rubs slow circles on her back. Around noon Derek wakes up, and Casey is still asleep so Derek writes a quick note on a post it (Be back soon.) and walks to a drug store down the street. He buys 7-Up and crackers and some medicine and walks back to the hotel.

Casey doesn't wake up for a few hours (Derek is sitting in the bed watching television with the volume very low, her head in his lap, his fingers running through her hair) and when she does it's only long enough to eat a few crackers take some of the medicine Derek brought back.

That night Derek realizes that this kind of being there for another person was what he always ran from in other relationships, breaking things off before he would be expected to care so much. His past relationship had been all about fun and had ended before it got deeper (Sally being an exception, though he's not sure how deep his feelings ran for her). But this, sitting in a hotel room watching the news on a loop cause nothing else is on while he can hear Casey sniffle from her place draped across his chest, is a real relationships – and it won't always be fun or easy or whatever, but for Casey he's willing. And that thought is how he knows that he loves her.

She really wakes up late in the afternoon and apologizes for ruining their vacation and Derek shakes his head, telling her that she didn't ruin anything. She says that she wants to go out to dinner and even though Derek can tell she still doesn't feel well he doesn't argue, mostly because he knows there is no point. She takes a shower and while she does he calls down to the front desk to ask if there is a place nearby that has good soup.

A few hours later they are walking down the boardwalk, towards the restaurant and Casey sneezes and looks up at Derek, "Where are we going? I wonder if they have soup." Derek chuckles before he kisses the top of her head.

* * *

**Sun**

One night, there is a huge thunderstorm and while the thunder disrupts their sleep they sit and talk about what went wrong in their non-relationship and decide to try a real relationship. It sounded so easy, cuddled together in his recliner sharing whispers and kisses but the next day in the harsh light of reality they are left to sort out what trying a real relationship will really mean for them.

They start to talk about it in the morning but they both have class and they don't have time to really get into the conversation so Derek kisses Casey lightly and promises to pick her up from her last class so they can go and figure things out.

In stark contrast to the storms the previous night, the sun shines brightly all day and when Derek picks Casey up from her last class she asks him where he wants to go to talk and he tells her that he already knows where he wants to go.

They drive for twenty minutes (and past most the places Casey frequents – including their apartment) before she looks over at him and asks where he's taking her. He shrugs a little and when they pull into a quiet park Casey smiles. He grabs a bag from the back seat and won't tell Casey what's inside as they walk towards the park.

She starts to walk towards one of the benches when Derek grabs her hand and pulls her in the opposite direction "What?" she asks but he doesn't say anything just pulls her hand so she'll follow.

They walk a little ways down the path and into a small building with a cut out windows and a stone picnic table in the middle, it's surrounded by trees and everything about it makes Casey smile.

Derek sets the bag he brought with him on the table and opens it to reveal take out from Casey's favorite place and Casey giggles a little as he hands her a bottle of soda and sets the take out containers on the table. They sit on the same side of the table while they talk and eat, occasionally pausing to throw bits of food at one another or to kiss.

After they've eaten and talked they walk one of the trails in the park. When they get back to the center of the park Casey notices the un-occupied swing set and walks over. She sits in one of the swings and laughs while Derek pushed her. When she jumps off and falls Derek laughs at her (but helps her up) and she launches up on her tip-toes to kiss him and his laughter dies in her mouth. It'll never be perfect (nothing is) but Casey thinks it just might work.

* * *

**Gift**

Derek gets home and finds a gift wrapped box on his bed. He smiles a little walking over and reading the tag (To: Derek. Love you, Casey). He checks his calendar, wondering what occasioned a gift but the box with today's date is empty. He goes to Casey's room and looks at that calendar (Casey's whole life is mapped out on that calendar) but it says nothing as well. He's pretty sure it's a trap, but he opens it anyway.

* * *

**Hurt**

On Thursdays Casey takes The Prince to dance class and picks Derek up from hockey on her way home (her class ends about half an hour before his practice). More often than not they go out to dinner after (neither of them have a Friday morning class).

She leaves class and sits in the Prince for a moment before pulling out of her parking space. She's not even on the street yet when a big black car hits the back quarter panel of the driver's side of The Prince. Her head slams against the window on impact and the edge of the bumper of the black car pins her door shut and she shoves frantically against a few times before crawling out of the passenger side.

She's a little unsteady on her feet while she walks towards the other car. A man steps out when she gets close, he's drunk and stumbling and yelling at her like the accident was her fault. Before she's even really registered what's going on a police car pulls up next to them (someone saw the accident and called).

A paramedic looks at her head (a nasty bruising bump, but she'll be okay) and the police officer says he'll talk to her after they deal with the other guy. She looks at her phone and sees that she has a missed call and a handful of text messages – she doesn't even look at them just texts Derek _small accident. be home asap. haven't left dance_.

Derek shows up about twenty minutes later (a friend from hockey drops him off) looking worried. She starts to apologize about The Prince but he says nothing, just tilts her head so he can look at the bump on the side of her forehead, "I'm fine" she mumbles.

The police finally talk to her and give her and Derek information about insurance for The Prince, Derek just keeps looking at the bump on her head.

She tries again to apologize for The Prince but he shakes his head and pulls her to him, whispering into her hair that he's glad she's okay.

* * *

**Tears**

They graduated college a week ago and they've only got this apartment for another few days so they packed everything up and drove it home two days ago and then Derek convinced her to throw a party at the apartment.

Which is why she's spent the last two hours and twenty minutes navigating between clusters of people to talk to friends she'll try to stay on touch with and the kitchen trying to keep the bowls of food she'd placed around the apartment stocked. She twists around people and makes her way back to her (now empty) room, needing a moment to herself. She rolls her eyes when she sees the door knob turn but smiles when she sees Derek poke his head in the door.

"Having fun?" he asks walking in and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Yeah…it's just crowded." She answers smiling before kissing him.

When he pulls back he presses his forehead against hers and takes a deep breath, like he's preparing for something. She giggles, "What?"

He smiles a little and tucks her hair behind her ears, "Will you marry me?" he breathes out.

It's so quiet she's not sure she heard right. She steps back, "What…seriously?" she asks, her eyebrows furrowing together.

He rolls his eyes, and smiles; "Yeah, seriously" she gasps a little and tears fill her eyes and she presses herself to him tightly, kissing him soundly. "Is that a yes?" he asks when the kiss breaks.

She nods, "Obviously." She says pressing her forehead to his chest while she catches her breath. She feels him sliding a ring on her finger and her head shoots up so she can looks at it. It's gorgeous and pulls his hands across her cheek (gathering and disposing of her tears) moments before she crashes her lips against his again.

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**Authors Note:** Thank you to MerxDerX4ever and SSJJ92 for reviewing. To those 'alerting' my story, I appreciate that and am glad that you are enjoying the story, but please also take a moment to review.

So, the next chapter is the last, it is all most done and will most likely be posted in a few days. Thanks for reading, and as always please review!

**PLEASE REVIEW**


	10. Forever,Insomnia,Teammate,Temptation,

Disclaimers, authors notes, ratings, ect in chapter one.

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**Chapter Ten: Forever, Insomnia, Teammate, Temptation, Completion**

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**Forever**

Casey is standing in front of the full length mirror that hangs over the door in the bathroom of the apartment - she keeps pulling at her dress until it looks the way she wants it to. It's purple and kind of short and more low-cut than she thinks it should be. She pulls a sweater on over it before taking it back off…she doesn't want him to think her a prude.

She jumps in surprise when Derek bangs on the door, "Case, come on you've been in there forever"

She rolls her eyes, even though she knows it true, "One sec" she promises (she hears him sigh through the door) before pulling her hair straightener through her hair a few more times (ensuring it's perfect straightness) before turning it off and checking her blue eye shadow and other make up in the mirror and closing her make up case. She leaves her sweater hanging on a hook in the bathroom and walks out, "all yours"

Derek is momentarily shocked silent, "Going for the hooker look, Case? I think you've nailed it"

"Der-ek" she scolds and punches his arm.

He pushes past her, "So, when is douchebag getting here?" he asks through the closed bathroom door.

"Don't call him that" she says looking for her black stiletto shoes. She bought them just yesterday, just for this date – she can hardly walk in them, but she figures it's worth it (she's been at school for about six weeks and she's hasn't seen Truman at all since leaving and she wants so much for this to go well…to prove to them both that a long distance relation can work…can do more than work, could be great). "You're the one that told me to give him another chance after what happened with Vicky" she reminds him as she pulls on her shoes.

"Whatever" Derek yells back (Casey can't see him rolling his eyes). He walks out of the bathroom in jeans and a nice top and she knows he's going on date (he and Emily broke up right as the summer ended – neither being interested in long distance 'The whole point of being with someone is to be with them' he told her when she asked why they wouldn't want to try long distance).

She stands from the couch, "He should be here any minute" (neither of them say anything when she starts to walk to her room and falters in her four and a half inch shoes and he reaches out and steadies her). She grabs her purse from her room and sits back down on the couch, staring at the door.

After fifteen minutes she covertly pulls out her phone (she doesn't want Derek to know she's doubting Truman…not that she is) and sends him a text _Hey. All most here? _(Derek looks over her shoulder and can read the text she writes just before she sends it. He stands and walks the short hallway back to his room. He calls his date for the evening and tells her he has food poisoning and they re-schedule for the following week. He changes from his nice button down to t-shirt before walking back to the living room dropping to the couch, next to Casey, and turning on the television.

"He's stuck in traffic" she says, looking at him from the corner of her eye. He nods even though he can see her phone, can see that the last text in the Truman thread was Casey's.

Twenty minutes later Casey goes into the bathroom and calls Truman, she gets his voicemail and she sighs heavily before leaving a message, _Hey, are you on your way? When we talked yesterday you said you were looking forward to this. Everything okay? Okay, call me – or I guess I'll see you soon… or…okay"_

Half an hour after that Casey takes off her expensive, painful new shoes and throws them across the room before going to her room and changing from her fancy dress into black leggings and a long t- shirt. She goes to the bathroom and washes her face and scrubs until she's sure Derek will confuse tear tracks with redness from the abrasive face wash.

When she walks back into the living room and sits on the couch she mumbles to Derek that he could be on his way, or something might have happened, or… something. Derek silently hands her the television remote and while she flips from the hockey game and starts to scan the channels she asks Derek what happened with his date. "Food poisoning" he says and she nods a little.

About two hours later an old Audrey Hepburn in playing on the television and Casey's head is in Derek's lap (she's been asleep for about thirty minutes – he can't reach the television remote without waking her) an abandoned pizza box lays on the coffee table about a foot away (about an hour ago Derek ordered a large half veggie pizza 'for himself' and Casey laughed and looked grateful as she took a piece). Derek's pulling his hand absently through her hair watching Audrey when he hears the chime of her cell phone receiving a text. He knows he shouldn't but he picks up the phone and when he sees that the text is from Truman he can't help but read it, _Not coming. Long distance sucks. Found a girl here. Did you really think we'd stay together? _Derek deletes the text before tossing it back to the couch (he knows that would hurt Casey – she was convinced they could last forever. He's disgusted with himself for sending her back to him) and watching the rest of the movie.

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**Insomnia**

Sometimes, Derek can't sleep at night. He pictures his baby sisters, Lilly and Marty, and how his relationship with Casey might impact their lives ('this is my (step) sister…and my brother's girlfriend').

He doesn't tell Casey that he worries about these things; he knows how much she worries about what their relationship will do to their families whenever they decide to tell them and he figures that one of them needs to believe things will be okay…and that's him even when he's not really so sure.

He likes to think (and always tells Casey) that they might be freaked out at first but the fact that they're happy will win them over in the end. He's not sure if that will be true…but the thought helps him sleep at night.

* * *

**Teammates **

They've been at college a couple of months and Derek is just starting to settle into a really good rhythm; he's doing well in class and he's comfortable enough at hockey now to really show what he can do, coach even seems impressed. He and Casey have even settled into a…friendship. Ever since he'd taken her to that party about a month back things have been really good with them – neither of them has tried to kill each other anyway.

So, when practice ends and he's changing from his hockey gear into his street clothes and one of his teammates walks behind him and asks if he's dating 'the girl with the good boobs' he brought to the party he's not sure if he wants to throw up or throw a punch. He does neither, instead he shakes his head – "She's a friend" he mumbles pulling his shirt over his head.

"So, she's up for grabs, then?" he asks and Derek clenches and unclenches his fist a few times before grabbing his back pack from his locker.

It's not that Derek cares who asks Casey out, or who she dates (why would he, they're just step-siblings, just friends…and barley that) but he knows that this guy has a different girl every week (dumping them when he gets bored…or after he gets what he wants) and knows that Casey can't handle that…especially not this soon after Truman. So Derek takes a deep breath before turning to face his teammate, "No, she's not" he has to try to keep his voice level.

"You want her? Dibs don't last forever, bang her and move on so I can move in-" Derek's fist connecting with his jaw cuts off whatever else he was about to say.

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**Temptation**

Casey watches Derek as he gets ready to go out for the evening, he'd invited her to the party but she'd declined. The invitation was one of discomfort – their (non)relationship ended several weeks ago (her decision – too much, too soon, too much all most related) and they still hadn't really figured out how to act around one another with so much having changed.

He walks out of his room buttoning the bottom few buttons of his shirt. He grabs his wallet and phone of the coffee table next to where Casey is sitting on the couch (not)studying (and defiantly not watching him from the corner of her eye or from under her eyelashes).

He scratches at the back of his neck idly, "Are you sure you don't want to go?" he asks her.

She shakes her head, brown hair flying around her face. "I'm just going to study" she mumbles tucking her hair behind her ears.

"Case…" he starts but cuts himself off, shakes his head once and stands up a little straighter, "I'll see you later."

He walks out, she kind of wants to cry.

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**Completion**

Derek's standing across from her, holding her hands lightly in his and when he hears "You may kiss the bride" it sounds like it must be coming from a million miles away. But he looks up and sees Casey's broad smile and he threads his fingers in her hair (feels the lace of her veil on his knuckles) and pulls her to him. When they break apart it's to the distant sound of applause.

Casey's forehead hits his shoulder and he kisses the top of her head. She leans up and whispers in his ear, "We're married" he smiles and kisses her lightly before they walk toward their friends and family, already being pulled into hugs.

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**Authors Note: **

Thank you to MerxDerX4ever, Ghostwriter, Zuzzeroo, SSJJ92, gothicluver13, and Mint Panda for reviewing chapter 9.

Thank you to everyone who alerted and favorited this story (but please also review in the future).

So, this marks the end of this journey. Thank you so much to all who read, followed, alerted and (especially) those who reviewed along the way. I hope that you enjoyed your time with this fic, I definitely did :-)

So, (for the last time)…please review!

**PLEASE REVIEW**


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